The Issue:Authorizing Space Available Travel on Department of Defense Aircraft for National Guard and Reserve Members and Gray Area Retirees on the Same Basis as the Active Component

Immediate Action Required: Contact your Senators and Representatives and ask them to support S.542 and H.R. 1003 introduced by Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK) that would authorize space available travel on Department of Defense aircraft for National Guard and Reserve members on the same basis as the Active Component; Gray Area retirees on the same basis as retired members of the armed forces entitled to retired pay; widows of retried members entitled or eligible to receive retired pay; and accompanying dependents.

Contact your Senators and Representatives to urge their support for S.542, introduced by Senator Mark Begich (D-AK), and H.R.1003, introduced by Representative Don Young. These bills would expand space-available travel for members of the Reserve Component; Reserve members’ eligible for retirement pay but for age (gray area retirees); widows and widowers of retired members; and accompanying dependents. This is a benefit that has been long sought by National Guard members.

Congress has worked hard since September 11, 2010 to establish legislation that would close the benefit gap that exists for our deserving members and their families. Expanding space-available travel for our members and gray area retirees would be a significant step in that direction. This benefit would be budget neutral.

NGAUS strongly supports S. 542 and H.R.1003 that would provide space-available travel on Defense Department aircraft for members of the Reserve Components on the same basis as Active members of the armed forces; retired members of the Reserve Component eligible to receive retirement pay but for age, on the same basis as retired members of the armed forces entitled to receive retirement pay; widows of retired members entitled or eligible to receive retirement pay; and the accompanying dependents of these members.

Our men and women who bravely served our country and their families deserve the recognition that this legislation would provide.

TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION:

By using the “Write to Congress” feature on the NGAUS Web site at www.ngaus.org, you can IMMEDIATELY e-mail your elected representatives. A sample letter is included in our “Write to Congress” feature. You can e-mail the pre-written message or edit the sample letter as you desire. This is the quickest and most effective method of expressing your views to Congress. Also, contact your friends and family and urge them to use Write to Congress as well. For further information and background visit our web site at www.ngaus.org. Please direct any questions concerning this issue to Pete Duffy, NGAUS Deputy Director of Legislation, at 202-454-5307 or via email at pete.duffy@ngaus.org.